Broken: The Second Book of the A Tale of Two Sisters Series

The Miller's Daughter

Cora dropped a phone tap after hearing a phone call between the Charmings, making Regina sigh, "Mother."

"I don't like what that enchanted box was saying. I'm not . . . I'm not wicked."

"It's not an enchanted box. It's a phone tap."

"I don't care What matters is they've been warned. Rumplestiltskin's smart, and now he has time to think."

"But he's injured."

"More than injured, I'd say," Cora picked up the dagger, finding The Dark One's name slowly fading from it. "He's dying. When his name disappears, all of that power of his will just boil off into the air and then there will be no new Dark One."

"Okay, so we have to use him to get the kids back before he dies."

"Not in his condition. I don't wanna kill him faster. No, there are no other options. I have to stab him with this knife and take his power as my own. I have to become The Dark One. And with his power, there's nothing I won't be able to do."

"But Henry's never going to forgive that. And the whole point of this is . . . Wait, what is the point of all this?" Regina asked.

"To protect our family."

"Or you gaining your power?"

"Whatever power I gain is for us. To protect you. To protect your children. If we lose this battle, we'll spend the rest of our short lives on our knees in front of them. And that, my love, is something I'll never do."

*  *  *  *  *

"Thank God you guys are back," Reagan said to her siblings as she hugged them once they disembarked the Jolly Roger.

"You're acting like Mom . . ." Serenity complained, pulling away quickly.

"Nice to see you too."

"I missed you, Regs," Henry said, still hugging his older sister.

"Me too," she said, ruffling his hair a little bit as they joined the others.

"Uh, I drove a ship," he said.

"Did you now?" David and Reagan asked.

"Yeah, my dad showed me how."

"That's me."

Reagan turned around, meeting Neal for the first time. She smiled and held out her hand to him, "I'm Henry's older sister, Reagan."

"It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Neal."

David turned to Gold, "Is Cora trying to control you with the dagger?"

"Oh, you'd know if she was, 'cause most of you would be dead by now," he replied.

"Well, then we'll just have to take the fight to her before that can happen," Mary Margaret said.

"We will," Reagan said.

"And this time, we finish it."

The Mills sisters looked at each other as David pulled Mary Margaret aside. Emma turned to Gold, "You okay?"

"Ah, I'm beginning to feel a bit stronger. Take me back to my shop. There's magic there that can protect us."

"Let me guess. I get to go with Ruby," Henry said.

"You got it, kid," his mother said. "Serenity, Reagan, go with him."

"No," Reagan said. "Emma, you're not the only Savior here. I helped keep Storybrooke together while you were gone, and I have held my own against my mother and Cora before. I can do this. Serenity can too. She has magic, and can control it unlike you and I since we're still learning."